Carse keeps England alive on thrilling fourth day

Third Rothesay Test, Lord’s (day four of five)

England 387 (Root 104, Carse 56, Smith 51; Bumrah 5-74) & 192 (Root 40; Sundar 4-22)

India 387 (Rahul 100, Pant 74, Jadeja 72; Woakes 3-84) & 58-4 (Rahul 33*, Carse 2-11)

India need 135 runs to win

A stunning late burst from Brydon Carse kept England alive on an utterly captivating fourth day of the third Test against India at Lord’s.

Bowling with supreme rhythm from the Pavilion End, Carse pinned both Karun Nair and India captain Shubman Gill leg before.

With the final ball of the day, Ben Stokes bowled nightwatchman Akash Deep to leave India 58-4, 135 adrift of their target of 193.

It was a dramatic end to a wonderful Sunday, one played on a surface that suddenly became venomous. India’s bowlers were brilliant to dismiss England for 192.

Jasprit Bumrah somehow only claimed two wickets, the main damage done by off-spinner Washington Sundar’s 4-22. England lost their last six wickets for 38 runs.

In a chaotic morning, Harry Brook was bowled trying to sweep seamer Akash Deep for 23. Joe Root dropped anchor for 40, Stokes even more guarded for 33.

Both the captain past and present were bowled by Sundar, part of a total of 12 home batters that have lost their furniture – an England record for a Test in this country.

Jofra Archer bounced out Yashasvi Jaiswal for nought, but Chris Woakes could not cling on to a return catch off KL Rahul when he had only five.

England were drifting out of the game until Carse’s intervention, before the talismanic Stokes had the final say. It will be a grandstand finale on Monday morning.

Finally, after three torpid days, this Test exploded into life. The pitch became a snake pit, there was tension between the teams after the Saturday evening handbags and the Lord’s atmosphere was sizzling.

From the second over of the day, when Bumrah got one to spit at Zak Crawley off a length, the action was never anything less than riveting.

India’s bowlers were outstanding, the seamers in the morning and Sundar across the afternoon. England’s approach can be questioned, especially Brook’s dismissal, but the fact a maestro like Root had to face 96 balls for his 40 runs, with only one four, shows how difficult batting was.

Bumrah was mesmeric. As he stalked in during the evening, the large number of India fans chanted his name, a foreboding din. It was equally as loud when Archer removed Jaiswal.

It was the India fans enjoying the evening sun until Carse charged down the slope. Nair misjudged to play no shot and Gill, who had already overturned being given caught behind, was undone by a nip-backer.

England owe much to Carse after their batting buckled. No doubt run-scoring was tough, though the home side did not help themselves with their decision making.

Whether it was the toughness of the conditions, or the feeling between the teams, England got carried away in the morning session. Ben Duckett played a needless swipe and Crawley, who bravely fended off Bumrah, fell with a familiar loose drive.

At what point does his untouchable place at the top of the order come into question?

Most infuriating was Brook. Twice he ramped Deep for four, then hit the same bowler for a straight six. Next over, Deep moved a fielder fine on the leg side, so Brook attempted a sweep and was bowled.

England might feel aggrieved that India used substitute keeper Dhruv Jurel, who was excellent standing up to the seamers. Still, standing back he conceded the majority of his 25 byes, without which the game might already be as good as gone.

Root threatened one of his epics to dig England out of trouble, Stokes never got to the stage where he flicked his trademark switch. The wickets fell in a cluster of four, then six, either side of their stand of 67.

India have been the better team across this series, now they have the chance to lead it and grab a slice of history – only once before at this ground has a side conceded so many runs fielding first and gone on to win, an Australia side containing Don Bradman in 1930.

The tourists’ main area of supremacy has been their bowling and they were collectively outstanding on Sunday. Right from the beginning, with Bumrah creating havoc from the Nursery End, England were given no respite.

Getting peppered by Bumrah, England tried to get after Mohammed Siraj, still fired up from the third evening. When Duckett hacked to mid-on, the two players brushed shoulders, then Ollie Pope was lbw on review.

Just like the first innings, Nitish Kumar Reddy found movement down the slope, and suckered in Crawley. Deep was targeted by Brook, but held his line to uproot middle stump when Brook aimed the needless sweep.

Root and Stokes dug in, India turned to Sundar. In theory, he was attempting to turn his off-breaks up the slope, but it was his drift in the air that proved so tricky. Root was bowled around his legs attempting a sweep, Jamie Smith was back when he should have been forward, Stokes missed a sweep of his own.

England batting coach Marcus Trescothick on Test Match Special: “We would have loved 250 and beyond but we would have taken 190 and our chance to bowl on that pitch and it’ll come down to who holds the pressure best.”

India all-rounder Washington Sundar, speaking to TMS: “We’d have loved to have about nine wickets [in hand]. It is what it is and we’ll definitely win the game.”

On which wicket gave him the most pleasure: “All four of them, honestly. Lord’s Test, big Test, it’s going to be amazing when we win the game and go 2-1 up in the series so every wicket was very very crucial.”